A Hidden Gem-Caesar Creek Cemetery

It took a little driving and a bit of searching but we finally found Caesar Creek cemetery in Waynesville, Ohio. It was on the very end of New Burlington Road which winds its way along Caesar creek before dead ending here and then it's a pleasant walk across this quiet meadow in the woods just off of the road.

Surrounded by a beautiful and thick, dry-laid rock wall the cemetery slumbers amidst birdsong and wind rustled trees. It has a lovely view of the reservoir through the woods.

The cemetery was established in October of 1805 and used to have two log meetinghouses before this building was built in 1849, which has since been moved to Caesar's Creek Pioneer Village. This building has been restored. The cemetery is approximately 7 miles east of Waynesville. This is a Quaker burial ground.

I found this picture on line on the Gen Web cemetery site as we have not been to the pioneer village as yet. The Warren county historical society has a blog and site as well.

 

 

I fell in love with this tiny stone, that of Victory Stiles who lays beside her sister Celestia who also died at young age. Victory died in 1855 at the age of 11 days old. Celestia passed in 1856 at the age of 5 years, 9 months. Early child mortality was an unfortunate and sad fact of life in those days. I stood there trying to imagine the grieving parents making there way all these miles out here by wagon and leaving their dear young ones in this quiet place. We did not find the parents buried here. Perhaps they moved away.

 

 

 

 

Three quarters of the cemetery is well kept but then we noticed that the wall continued but the last portion had been completely grown over. We made our way into the brush and trees and discovered stones hidden beneath. We wondered why this portion of the cemetery was allowed to be overtaken.

 

 

 

Upon further reading there is a group that has been restoring the cemetery and keeping up the grounds. They have done a lovely job and it is a labor of love. They have a plan of clearing the "thicket".

 

 

 

There are a number of Civil war graves as well as a Revolutionary war veteran. Some of the family names to be found in quantity are Compton, Collett, Chenoweth, Farquhar, Furnas, Hawkins, Johnson, Mendenhall, Mills, Moon, Painter, Sexton and Shepard, Spray, Stanfield, Walton, and Wilson. You can go to http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohwarren/Cemetery/caesar/wa.htm to view a complete list of graves and family names as well as photos of the graves themselves.

 

This is also part of the Caesar Creek wildlife area. All in all well worth the drive and a pleasant afternoon.

 

Autumn in Ohio

 

 

 We have been out and about driving the Ohio countryside every week looking for autumn color. Some of the brightest was just around the corner at a local park. Bright and beautiful.




Englewood Reserve.

Hiking through Englewood reserve hearing the crunching of autumn leaves beneath our feet. The wind blowing leaves into colorful banks. It brought back memories of jumping in piles of leaves when I was kid. Osage oranges, the size of softballs hang heavy in the trees and once in a while you hear one drop and hit the ground with a thud. Their bright green contrasts against the earth.

Osage Oranges amidst the leaves.

The woods in the fall are quiet and peaceful. Squirrels are busy racing up and down the tree trunks and across the canopy above. Yellow glows bright under an overcast sky.

Englewood Reserve.

Out in the country we came across this old rusty windmill set against a backdrop of a farm at the end of a dirt road. It was the perfect still life, a moment that could belong to the distant past or the present.

Windmill old farm.

Horses grazed peacefully in a meadow framed by the burgundy and bright green leaves of  vines upon a fence. When they heard out voices they came for a visit.

Corn and soybeans are left in the fields to dry and I loved the movement of the corn in this field. Bent by the wind, the sound of rustling in the dried fronds. Waves of corn undulating in the breeze.

Drying corn.

                                            
                                                Glorious color, stately, a wow moment.

Local park.

Farmland on layers of color; in the foreground drying soybeans, beyond a corn field that has been harvested, a bright red barn set against the changing colors of the woods and a blue sky. Lovely.

Layers; soybeans, harvested corn, tree line.

Back road somewhere.

As they say the journey is what it is all about. We never really have a destination when we head out. You never know what you may find, like this natural tunnel of trees on some back road to the north.
The road beckons and leads us to all sorts of beautiful and interesting places. Explore your world, even if it is just down the road a piece...

Allen's Mill Bridge Eldean, Ohio

Eldean Covered Bridge. Ohio

 

We came across this bridge in Eldean, Ohio, quite by accident and it was a lovely surprise. It is now called the Eldean covered bridge but was known earlier as the Allen's Mill bridge ( a local mill) and was built in 1860. The original plans for the bridge were patented in 1830 by a Col. Stephen Long of the U.S. Army engineers.





Historical Marker.

We drove over the bridge and it is quite interesting to feel the boards rattling beneath the tires.






The bridge was built in 1860.

The Eldean is the longest Col. Stephen Long bridge still in existence at 224 feet and the second longest in the state of Ohio, Miami county. It is a beautiful example of the first scientifically built bridge using a truss system for added strength. Originally it cost over $4,000.00 to construct.




A walk through.
 

I couldn't resist going inside and taking a picture of the Great Miami River from one of the windows.




 

 

 

Eldean Bridge over the Great Miami.

 

The bridge was fully restored in 2005/2006 and no doubt is as important historically as it is beautiful.

 

Rose Mallow Blooms

Southern Belle, Rose Mallow.




I am in love with these flowers. I first noticed them a couple of weeks ago at Wegerzyn Gardens. They have some beautiful displays throughout the park

Rose Mallow.




Come to discover that these are a Hibiscus, who knew? I thought Hibiscus was only found in warm coastal climates, not Ohio. These are a hardy perennial and have the largest blooms of any perennial sometimes measuring up to 12" in diameter. Average bloom at least 5-6" wide.

Rose Mallow.


They come in striking colors ranging from white to light pink, hot pink, deep reds, and variegated.

Sultry Kiss, Rose Mallow.

Elizabeth Deserves Better, They all do!

Mt. Union / Pleasant Valley cemetery.

On another day trip to explore the Ohio countryside we headed to another spot on the 'Haunted Ohio' map with an intriguing name, Elizabeth's Grave. It was supposed to be very difficult to find, we had no trouble at all. Of course the address is not quite correct, it is on Union Lane not Union Road which is off of Egypt Pike, northwest of Chillicothe, Ohio in Ross County. It is a dirt road and as long as you continue to go towards the left when the road forks you will come across it. This had to be one of the most heartbreaking spots we have ever visited and not because of the stories and haunting's but because of the vandalism and complete lack of respect for the cemetery and its occupants.

At least someone mows the grass but nearly all of the stones are vandalized, pushed over, painted on, smashed, or have been dragged to a far back corner of the field into the woods.

At the back of the cemetery is a large field with this beautiful tree. Apparently a church, the Union Presbyterian used to be on this site which was established in 1802. This is the supposed tree where Elizabeth either hanged herself or was murdered beneath over an inheritance her late husband left her. There were 13 Elizabeth's buried in this cemetery and other sites have narrowed it down to one Elizabeth Clark that is the likely namesake. However, I ask you do any of them deserve this vandalism?

This is a site towards the back where various monuments have been set up to be used as benches around a campfire.

Pieces of stone grave markers used to ring the fire, beer cans and trash litter the site. Mind you this also backs up to a nature reserve. Of course these people have no thought for the dead let alone nature or the homes of those who live nearby apparently.

We spent time walking among the graves and being empathic there is a very heavy feeling of sadness here but my impressions were that is because they do not understand the behavior of the people who have come to disturb them and ruin their final resting place. I felt the presence of an elderly gentleman who walks around the field. He would like some order and beauty re-established here.

We sent out prayers of love and light to all within the cemetery and as we were leaving 7 yellow butterflies lined up in the road in our path, it was like they didn't want us to leave. Butterflies are symbols of the soul or spirit, resurrection, and joy.

For those who feel the need to destroy ask yourself why? What gives you the right to destroy history?  Give a thought to the families of these passed on souls, the spirits themselves, to people like me who love history and may be searching for ancestors, to nature and our country. These people were pioneers; hardworking, many of them farmers, carving a life out of the wilderness so that someday down the road you, their descendant, could enjoy life and grow. Is this how you want to repay them?

Dedicated

To all of the Elizabeth's and their families in Mt. Union/ Pleasant Valley cemetery.

Love and Light.

Bear's Mill

Holly hocks outside the mill.

Last weekend we found ourselves in the car traversing the countryside once again. This time

traveling on the 671. We decided to head up to the 36 to visit a park we heard about and came across this mill instead.

Bear's Mill entrance.

 

This was a happy accident finding Bear's Mill.  Located in Darke County, outside of Greenville, Ohio on Arcanum-Bear's Mill road. The mill was built in 1849 by Gabriel Baer and is now a non-profit. It is one of the oldest water-powered working mills still in existence.

There are four floors to explore and it is a little dizzying for those of us with a problem of heights, especially the top most door that opens to air but it is well worth the climb. I loved the sloping wood floors, the antiques, the hand-hewn beams, just the feel of the building. There is also an art gallery with rotating exhibits and a gift store with all sorts of lovely kitchen and food items as well as stone ground products.

The gristmill is run by water from the Greenville creek just out back. There is a well maintained path that leads through the woods to the creek and to the dam pictured here. A separate millrace water way runs to the mill itself and is 800 feet long, 25 feet wide and 10 feet deep. It was hand dug by school children who were paid 50 cents a day.  A very nice deck overlook is here with a bench to look out over the water. There is also a memorial for the Vietnam vets who did not return from the war. It is located in a beautiful, tranquil spot in the woods.

They have a website and a calendar of events and artists that will be showing in the gallery. Just a lovely destination and one we will return to in the future. Perhaps when we go in search of that park on another day.

The Path

Woodland path, Wegerzyn gardens.

There is something about a beckoning path; One that you can't quite make out where it will lead.

Whether it is a gentle path beneath the trees, wildflowers growing by its side, birds singing overhead, a chipmunk scurrying across your path. Or...



Path to the Federal Garden, Wegerzyn.

a formal brick pathway that curves round to pass beneath an arbor that promises a neat and ordered space with box hedges and iron benches on which to sit and meditate. A well balanced

design, everything in its place and manicured. Or...

Path up from Charleston Falls.

perhaps you will meet with a steep, dirt path where you have to watch each foot fall because of the thick roots and rocks that jut out from the ground. The path sometimes narrow and becomes slippery from  previous nights rain fall. It can be a hard climb. Or...

sometimes unexpectedly you are faced with a choice and you stand in the circle of your power and contemplate the path ahead; one appears to have been favored by many before you  and the other a path less traveled. Not many have passed that way. What do you do? Which path beckons?

Each of us alone can answer that question but for myself I usually take the infamous "road less traveled". I enjoy the unexpected twists and turns, the places I have seen and the different people I have met. In the end there are really no such things as road blocks, yes perhaps detours, but in the end you find a way or make a decision to try another path. What did I find? Beauty, life, my Self... and

ultimately, I discovered that all paths lead back to my own heart.

Each journey I carry there still.

The Hunt for the William Ross Covered Bridge

We persevered and finally found it! The town of Sidney, Ohio does not make it easy, a sign stating that the bridge can be found within the Tawawa Park would be very helpful to out-of- towner's. We actually had given up the search and decided to go investigate the park instead which is quite lovely on its own and on our way out I spotted it. It's really a very pretty spot and a nice example of a covered bridge from the late 1800's though I could not find a definite date. It is named for a gentleman who served on the parks and recreation board.

I am confused as to whether or not it is attributed to pioneer bridge designer and builder, Rueben L. Partridge (1823-1900) or if it was constructed to look like one of his bridges.

Regardless it is a very picturesque site and a favorite with families taking pictures and walks.

The park has hiking trails, playgrounds, lakes and the Tawawa Creek. It serves as a natural preserve.

The "Beautiful Woman"

Gargoyle in front of Bonnyconnellan Castle, Sidney, Ohio.






On another one of our wanderings around the Ohio countryside we found ourselves in Sidney, Ohio and a couple of sites were noted on our Haunted Ohio map so we went in search. The first was this magnificent castle overlooking downtown. Depending upon the angle you come in from you can see its turrets as you approach. It must have been a grand home in its day and is still an imposing structure though it appears run down and gutted. The gates are locked so you can't get too close but from the street we could see a spiral iron staircase in the turret to the left. It is on Walnut Ave. There is a large brick carriage house in the back. Bonneyconnellan means the "beautiful woman."

The grand stair to the front door. Four gargoyle gaurdians.








The home was built in 1886 by John D. Loughlin, (1852-1902), supposedly patterned after a castle in County Cork, Ireland. John was the owner of the Sidney School Furniture Company and the Mary L. Poultry company. His furniture company manufactured school desks which at the height of production they were putting out 300 a day. The company also made blackboards and school bells amongst other things. 





His "Fashion Desk" was the first school desk produced.


He purchased the land in 1880, started construction in 1885 and it was completed in 1886. The front is stone and the back is brick. Interesting fact is that his father Timothy was a stone mason from Ireland.

On the Shelby County Historical Society site it states that the home had 22 rooms,

4 bathrooms and over 5,000 square feet of space. It had custom crafted hard wood floors in each room each out of a different wood, ornately carved bannisters, and a freestanding staircase that rose to the second floor. The interior sounded as if it was a typical Victorian over-the-top extravaganza of ornate features and decorations.

Unfortunately he sold the company in 1901 for a good profit but his chicken business led him to ruin and his castle and holdings were foreclosed upon by the German-American bank and he lost everything. He died in Philadelphia in 1902.  

The only mention of a ghost I could find was that it is haunted by a man in a blue uniform standing over a wedding dress. Ghosts aside hopefully someday someone will restore it to its former glory and fill its rooms and halls with life and laughter once again.